Looking at arguments against Hewitt
On every blog I post about Georgia Tech’s basketball team the comments usually turn into a roulette wheel of all the reasons that coach Paul Hewitt should be fired. Of course, that means that athletics director Dan Radakovich must pay the $7.2 million buyout that Hewitt’s contract demands, unless a settlement can be reached.
With this season drawing to a close, I thought it might be interesting to bring up some of the most-oft used reasons and do some more research to find out what has credence and what doesn’t so that the conversation might be more balanced.
1. He doesn’t develop players/look at how well his players do in the NBA: I think these two things are related because many of you see a player like Chris Bosh, who is one of the most effective big men in the NBA, and ask “why didn’t he do more of that at Tech?”
Since Hewitt took over, seven players have made the ACC’s All-Freshmen team. Just one of those players, B.J. Elder, later made the All-ACC team in a different year(s), which is one arbitrary way to measure if players are developing. Would Ed Nelson (2002, before transferring to UConn after the 2003 season), Chris Bosh (2003), Thaddeus Young (2007) and Javaris Crittenton (2007) made a few more all-conference teams had they stuck around, in many of their cases for more than one season? Seems plausible. The same is true for Derrick Favors (2010).
On the flip side are players like Jarrett Jack and Gani Lawal, who didn’t make the all-freshman team but developed into two-time all-conference performers later.
Many of those players are having productive NBA careers.
There have been 12 Yellow Jackets drafted or signed as undrafted free agents since the 2001 NBA Draft, which would be the first draft after Hewitt had a full season to coach.
Have other coaches done more with less talent? Yes. Have other coaches done less with more? You betcha. Since many of you seem to think Tech should be the equivalent of North Carolina in basketball (and I can’t think of two schools that are more different), how many national championships did Dean Smith win compared to all the talent that came through Chapel Hill? Jim Boeheim at Syracuse is another example. How many years before John Wooden won a title? (Again, using national championships as the barometer).
I’m not saying that Hewitt is the greatest developer of talent. I have no idea if he’s good at it or not. I can see why some of you are infuriated with the results when you look at the rosters.
I also know that it’s hard to build teams and maintain expectation levels when players can leave and start their career after just one season. Which brings us to our next big complaint:
2. He recruits too many one and dones: Of all the reasons thrown out, this is the most bizarre to me. Everyone may think they know what a 17- or 18-year old is going to do, but until they do it, you can never be certain. If Hewitt weren’t trying to recruit NBA talent he would be villified for that. When he does, and gives a young man a chance to decide if he wants to continue his education, fans come down him for providing an opportunity. Yall can’t have it both ways.
Remember that until 1995, NBA teams rarely selected college underclassmen. The next year the floodgates opened on that possibility. So those teams that are held up as examples of what is possible at Tech likely wouldn’t have done as much if the NBA’s draft rules and philosophies were different.
Why do the players leave Tech? There are many reasons, including it’s a very, very hard school that offers few majors for the “right-brained” that plays in arguably the toughest conference in the country. And please don’t think that if the NFL suddenly lowered it’s “3-year rule” to more closely resemble the NBA’s “1-year rule” that players would stay in college instead of pursuing a paycheck? Please.
3. His win-loss record in the ACC is horrible. Yes, it is. Even going against three Hall-of-Fame coaches every year in Mike Krzyzewski, Gary Williams and Roy Williams, it’s hard to understand how the Jackets are 70-102 in the ACC w ith just one season with a winning conference record, since Hewitt took over. There aren’t a lot of stats that can wipe that one away. I guess had a few of those players stuck around that record would likely be much better, but who knows?
I don’t envy the decision that Radakovich must make.
On the one hand, he’s got a fan base that is in upheavel. Paid-attendance has dipped below 6,000. It’s similar to Bobby Cremins’ last year when paid attendance averaged 6,399. There are many reasons that fans aren’t coming as they once were, but dissatisfaction with the program is a popular one. And it’s understandable.
I’ll bet there’s not more than 4,500 fans at tonight’s game against Virginia.
Plus, how difficult might it be, should he decide to go in a different direction, knowing that the team doesn’t have a home game next year. Games will likely be split between Philips Arena and Gwinnett Arena while AMC is gutted and re-built. Attendance next year will likely be even lower, I would think. If you were a potential candidate on Tech’s list, would you want to start your Tech career with no home and playing in front of potentially half-filled arenas? Granted, the next year the $45-million Hank McCamish Pavilion will open, but still.
Plus, there’s the amount of the buyout itself. To fire one man would cost the Georgia Tech Athletics Association the equivalent of 13.1 percent of its annual operating budget. That sum wouldn’t be paid out in a lump, so it’s not like there’s one big hit. But remember that the GTAA is still paying former football coach Chan Gailey. The last payment on that buyout occurs Jan. 2012.
I’m sure some of you will again say that I’m a Hewitt apologist. I’m not anyone’s apologist. I’m just trying to bring some civility and level-headedness to your conversations.
– Doug Roberson, AJC
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349 comments Add your comment
Tech Forever
February 23rd, 2011
10:16 am
Paul in RDU
Of K’s players who left early how many left after one season at Duke? What is his average total loss given the time he’s been at Duke?
And I disagree about Hewitt only having 6. I dodn’t mention it in the first post but Hewitt loses a lot of players to transfer for reasons other than academics; Fredrick and Nelson. I’d count those cases towards his early departure totals too. In the last 11 years how many critical contributors have transfered out of Duke?
Mark in ATL
February 23rd, 2011
10:18 am
@ga tech 92…..I’m sick of these arguments….when you have evidence in front of you that’s so obvious…
1. The guy can’t consistently win
2. The guy can’t create a program of winning…where one year builds on the next
3. The guy is all about one year wonders
4. The guy has lost the fan base…people don’t care and come any more
5. The guy only has a job because of his contract
These excuses are tired and old.
Geori
February 23rd, 2011
10:19 am
He should make the NCAA tournament every year and finish .500 or better in the ACC with the talent we have. Clemson, FSU, Miami and Virginia Tech have been better than us from 2005-2001. We should consistently beat all of those schools.
William Casey
February 23rd, 2011
10:21 am
@Hewitt fan: Don’t get me started on the corrupting influece that is AAU basketball. I’d rather do business with the MOB.
Mark in ATL
February 23rd, 2011
10:22 am
@William Casey…..That relationship with the “Celtics” has really paid off for Paul….I can count ONE NCAA tourney win from that relationship last year…ONE WIN and bounced in the second round. What results that’s having for him.
ga tech 92
February 23rd, 2011
10:22 am
Mark in ATL – I’m on your side bro. 3-4 years ago I quit my season tickets and started to be a Hewitt critic. 1-2 years ago I was just freaking amazed that the man still had a job and I became a fairly obnoxious blogger against Hewitt. 0-1 years ago I hit the ‘total apathy’ wall and basically gave up hope of anything ever happening, because any sane program would have fired him years ago. Now, I’ve got a sliver of hope again, but you must know as well as I that all your points were valid 4 years ago…3….2…1…yet here we still are…do we think this year is somehow different? They could have ‘nipped it in the bud’ before the die hards became apathetic about the program and it truely suffered. Yet…here we are. Is there some reason for us to believe he is going to be fired this year, if he wasn’t 1…2…3…4…years ago? Please say yes.
Mark in ATL
February 23rd, 2011
10:24 am
@ga tech 92….I know you are….it’s awful…it’s beyond awful.
Mark in ATL
February 23rd, 2011
10:26 am
@ga tech 92…there is one thing that has changed over the last few years that will impact him being here or not….the number of fans showing up at games and giving is down BIG TIME. A half full arena gets attention quickly.
Hewitt Fan
February 23rd, 2011
10:26 am
@CLay
ok one more post lol…I heard Favors say it out of his own mouth..I know him..you dont…is your mepth ready yet..Money, well i am a white man’s worst nightmare..house paid for..2 cars, beautiful wife who went to GT i know for a fact i live better than you..and unlike most of white America..Never filed Bankruptcy, and no hand me downs sir..Oh yeah and my wife is white hahahahaha..
@Mark in ATL I gurantee Tech will barely be able to find a coach just watch..AND I REPEAT NO CELTIC WILL EVER PLAY AT GT AGAIN…THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DETERMINED..
Mark in ATL
February 23rd, 2011
10:28 am
@Hewitt fan…..oh god please no…..your program has had such an incredible impact here at GT….please no…..you’ve given us so many all americans that have led to so many ACC titles and final fours…please say no.
Dadgum......
February 23rd, 2011
10:28 am
OK, first of all Hewitt is not just handed 7.2 mil when we let him go ( which will be on or before March 14th BTW) it is 1.2 mil a year for six years or a structured by out giving him a larger lump sum probably in the 4 mil range. If we wait until March 15th that number goes to 8.4 mil or a larger negotiated buyout. When midnight falls on March 14th Hewitt will have been fired. I can guarantee that will happen.
The fact GT is not playing on campus next year is exactly why this is a perfect time to say goodbye to Hewitt. Bring in a young coach to get his system established in a spot where there is little expectation or pressure on him. Get some enthusiasm generated for the following year. It’s going to take some time for the new coach to right the ship. May as well start when the expectations are low and playing off campus. Seems the perfect scenario for a new coach to me.
The ACC has been, for the last few years, in a steady decline. To cite the successes of Puke and UNC as reason to say the ACC is strong is a hollow argument. Let’s look at VT. If the ACC was so strong last year how in hell could a team go 10-6 with 23 total wins and be left out of the NCAA dance. I’ll tell you how the RPI of the conference teams was weak nationally. I say that until the bottom half of the ACC gets better with coaching or talent or both then the ACC will continue to rank lower nationally. To have the same 2-3 teams consistently carry the banner for the ACC is not a good thing. It’s even worse in football but that is for another day.
Rock on…..The Good Word!
Tech Forever
February 23rd, 2011
10:29 am
EVERYONE!!! Please raise your hand if you act like a victimized 13 year old middle school girl.
Hewitt Fan you can put yours down…..you smell.
clay
February 23rd, 2011
10:36 am
mepth? i assume you meant meth. you’re an ignorant cretin. but that doesn’t surprise me since you support an inept coach. isn’t it time for your daily crack? you’re a poor loser using a computer at a library. you’re probably trying to google the best street corners to buy your crack. people who “bragg” about what they are liars and considering you already lied about leaving this blog…well, i rest my case. if you do have a home, i am sure it was foreclosed on over a year ago. now go play with your guns. maybe we can get lucky and you’ll shoot yourself. of course that wouldn’t be good cause then you would just be a drain on taxpayers and those who pay for your visit to the doc. so make sure to aim near your noggin. you might want to google some of these words to get a definition.
RambleOn84
February 23rd, 2011
10:37 am
Wow, some little amateur league won’t send kids to Tech…we are officially ruined now. Might as well keep Hewitt…
ga tech 92,
Agreed completely. I don’t really care for Coach K personally (he has a dirty mouth and does not seem like a very nice man at all), but the man can COACH. It is no mistake that his teams are ALWAYS good, no matter the players. Hell, he could even shape the prima donnas on the US Basketball Team into a real team…and when he did, was anyone surprised? THAT is the mark of a great coach.
Marty
February 23rd, 2011
10:37 am
I was furious last year that we rolled his contract over again. The only reason he had a good year was that Derrick Favors dropped in to help him for one season. We need to make a stand and say we’d like to see how things go next year before adding another year to your contract. Not being able to afford to fire him is not a rationale for continuing to renew his contract until he proves he deserves it. Unless he has another job lined up there is nothing he can do about it. We need to start cutting our losses. If he didn’t have a 5-year contract he’d already be gone if he hadn’t gotten lucky 7 years ago in the NCAA’s.
Tech Forever
February 23rd, 2011
10:37 am
Here’s the bottom line on the Atlanta celtics program…..YOU CAN KEEP ‘EM!!!!
I can think of no less than 9 or 10 players who went directly to the NBA, and I’m counting Favors and the other “one and done” kids who were always open BEFORE THEY WERE FORCED TO GO TO COLLEGE FOR ONE YEAR about their plans of getting to the NBA as soon as humanly possible.
Now should the Celtics go back to what the organization was 10 years ago and produce players the likes of Elder and Muhammad I’d be more than happy to change my tune. But today it’s nothing but a giant money grab minor league for the NBA….and you can have. Not one…NOT ONE…Celtics alum has won a National Championship and the kids at Tech in 2004 are the only ones I can think of who’ve played for one.
I want kids who want to play in college. THOSE ARE THE PROGRAMS THAT WIN!!! The Calipari’s of the world WILL NEVER get a Championship in this day and age unless they trip over it……like Hewitt almost did in ‘04.
UGA = Yawn
February 23rd, 2011
10:37 am
Enough already. He should have been fired 3 years ago. There is absolutely nothing positive to say about him – however you want to spin it. My parent’s always told me – some times, in life, you get one chance for something. His chance was against UCONN in the NCAA Championship game. He failed. He will get no more chances.
Lifelong Jacket fan and Tech grad
February 23rd, 2011
10:37 am
agt45, it anin’t about how your players do in the pros, it’s about winning college basketball games and graduating your kids. Hewitt’s done neither. time’s up.
Hewitt Fan
February 23rd, 2011
10:38 am
@Mark in ATL
i wasnt involved back then but I hear Cremins burned his bridges with the Celtics..look what happened..Bj Elder,Favors,Ismail,,Lawai,Jevaris were all CELTICS…Hewitt took GT as far as any coach in Gt history GT is a bad job..Cremins never won a damn thing..But you put his name on the court…..Gt will never make it as far again..especially without any CELTICS coming..just watch…Oh yeah name one All American from the ACC in the last 5 years, that didnt play for Duke or NC..its none
UGA = Yawn
February 23rd, 2011
10:38 am
Be gone Hewitt!
UGA = Yawn
February 23rd, 2011
10:38 am
. . . and be gone ANYONE who would write anything positive about him.
Mark in ATL
February 23rd, 2011
10:43 am
@Hewitt fan….send your kids other places then….best of luck to you and your kids. I wish them the best. If this isn’t the best place for them I’m sure they can find another for one year before they head to the NBA.
UGA = Yawn
February 23rd, 2011
10:46 am
Here are just a few of the schools with higher RPI’s than Geogia Tech; Wagner, Liberty, Wofford, Central Conn St, Pacific, Evansville, Robert Morris, St Peter’s and Lipscomb. ‘Nuff said!!
Hewitt Fan
February 23rd, 2011
10:46 am
@clay
You are angry and its because you are broke…Only broke white boys talk like you do..I stay in a white neighborhood I know my neighbors….White people with money dont talk like that..I have always felt if you are white and broke, you should kill yourself….no excuse…everything is handed on a platter to you and you still didnt make it..lol…We need a janitor to clean up our gym…
Warren Anderson
February 23rd, 2011
10:47 am
FIRST LET ME SAY IS THIS WHERE MY MONEY GOES, WHEN I PURCHASE THE AJC NEWSPAPER. ALL YOU GUYS DO IS BASH COACH HEWITT, COMPARE HIS WON/LOST RECORD TO CREMINS. CREMINS NEVER MADE IT TO A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, THE FURTHEST HE EVER WENT WAS THE FINAL FOUR. THE ONLY REASON I CAN THINK OF AS TO WHY YOU GUYS BASH HEWITT IS BECAUSE OF HIS SKIN. YOUR RIGHT HES NOT THE RIGHT COACH FOR THIS PROGRAM, HE HAS TOO MUCH CLASS. IT’S A SPECIAL PLACE FOR ALL OF YOU WHO TREAT THIS MAN LIKE THIS, AND THAT PLACE IS HELL.
Tech Forever
February 23rd, 2011
10:48 am
Now that I think about it maybe the problem IS the Atlanta Celtics. They’ve never sent anyone to Duke. UNC. Florida. Michigan State, Kansas, UCONN, or Ohio State. Hmmmmm, maybe Hewitt really SHOULD go and take the freakin Celtics WITH HIM!!!!
Paul Hewitt
February 23rd, 2011
10:48 am
Timeout.
Tech Forever
February 23rd, 2011
10:49 am
Did Mr. Anderson say something?
No? Must have been someone’s gas. Sorry for the confusion.
Warren Anderson
February 23rd, 2011
10:51 am
@UGA=YAWN
WHY SO MUCH HATE TOWARD HEWITT? I’M A WHITE GUY AND I HAVE TO BE HONEST BLACKS DO GET TREATED UNFAIRLY. EVEN AT MY JOB WE CONSTANTLY PROMOTE WHITES OVER BLACKS NO MATTER THE QUALIFICATIONS. I HAVE EVEN HAD TO CATCH MYSELF FROM JUDGING THEM AND BEING AFRAID. I HEARD MY FATHER SAY THIS AND THAT ABOUT BLACKS, BUT AS I GOT OLDER I HAD TO MATURE.
Mark in ATL
February 23rd, 2011
10:53 am
here we go that the reason we want to get rid of Paul is about his race…not the fact that he losses consistently more than he wins…it’s about race. wow….
clay
February 23rd, 2011
10:53 am
and only crack smoking neanderthals such as yourself write what you do. go beat up your momma. go shoot yer gun behind your crack house. and take your celtic garbage somewhere else. how many of them accomplished anything? yes that’s on blewitt you fool.
and as for all americans just at duke and unc. wow you really are retarded. put the bullet in the chamber and pull the trigger. i need another ajc story to laugh at.
clay
February 23rd, 2011
10:56 am
warren, you and supporter need to play with your guns. pronto. don’t worry about any accidents. just fire away.
Hewitt Fan
February 23rd, 2011
10:57 am
@Warren Anderson
Its ok, when they hire South Dakota;s head coach, maybe they will understand…
@Tech Forever
thats true …But we have had 12 first round picks and the ones who do stay in college get their degrees….Elder is an example
ga tech 92
February 23rd, 2011
10:57 am
My experience is that the first person to point the ‘r-word’ finger, is ironically the true r-word. Three fingers pointing back. No GT fan I’ve ever known cares what color the man is.
atlanta celtics
February 23rd, 2011
10:57 am
We produce some of the best thugs, rapists and gang bangers in the atl!
critic
February 23rd, 2011
10:58 am
Gailey is being paid from donated funds, not the GTAA operating budget.
That is where the Hewitt money will have to come from too.
If he isn’t gone, just prepare for about 1000 average attendance next year and 2-4k to open the new arena after that.
It is going to cost more in lost attendance than the buyout and the longer you wait, the longer it will take for the fans to come back. They find out that they can do without the product if they are away from it for long enought.
clay
February 23rd, 2011
10:59 am
what’s wrong hewitt fan? you don’t have any women to rape or liquor stores to rob?
atl celtics are a gang anyway. a gang of losers like you
Always a Jacket
February 23rd, 2011
11:00 am
Doug
If good writing is measured by the amount of response, you deserve a Pulitzer.
I agree with your points and I thank you for keeping the subject out there.
DRad needs to be reminded everyday until March 15, he has wasted years and cannot afford to let this contract rollover again.
A sports fan wants to start every season with HOPE that their team can compete and achieve success no matter the odds. Hewitt killed that hope in the fan base, years ago, for all the reasons you listed, plus many more.
RambleOn84
February 23rd, 2011
11:00 am
Guys, ignore the troll…
Travis
February 23rd, 2011
11:06 am
Ahh is a guy from the Celtics upset that gt fans no longer support the inept coach hewitt. Ahh.
That’s been the problem all along. Fire hewitt hire a competent coach and start recruiting kids who are motivated and let the celtic virus plague another school.
Delbert D.
February 23rd, 2011
11:07 am
Hewitt just needs to clear his head. He should start taking long walks alone late at night near the Tech campus.
StingerSplash
February 23rd, 2011
11:07 am
I’ll cut CPH some slack on Crittenton leaving early. That’s the one that caught just about everybody by surprise. But Favors and Young … he knew he’d have them for a year and that’s it.
And what about the damage the one and dones do to the APR?
Dan Morton
February 23rd, 2011
11:08 am
I love Tech basketball. I have paid dearly for 2nd row seats for 20 straight years and have had untold hours of excitement during that time. I have the same seats again this year but have been to 1/2 of one game all year — just can’t bear to watch them any more. I doubt I will renew my tickets next year unless there is a change in the direction of the program. I like Paul Hewitt as a man but firmly believe we need a change in leadership. In life — you either going forward or you are going backwards – there is no real status quo. We are haeding in the wrong direction and we are picking up steam.. It simply isn’t working – we need to move on.
Dennis
February 23rd, 2011
11:08 am
Every so often, you have to win one your not supposed to. GT never does that anymore. On the flip side they lose all that they are supposed to. I think they resign themselves to that point too easlily. That is an attitude problem and comes from the top.
Tech Forever
February 23rd, 2011
11:09 am
Warren Anderson
The problem isn’t that “blacks are treated unfairly”. That is most definitely the case in many situations in this country and the vast majority of people recognize it, don’t like it, and want to change it. The problem is that the leadership on the progressive side of the aisle has programmed young blacks to believe in and embrace this victimization from childhood. The secular progrssives (includeing Sharpton, Jackson, etc.) consistently preach a message of victimization and the staus quo, and then follow it up with how they, the leadership, are the only ones who can pull the people out of the depth of such despair. Well if that’s true then when are they going to start doing it? I’ll tell you when, never. To send out a message of productivity, championing education, individual responsibility, being a positive role model, setting goals, and high achievement inherently goes against them staying in power….remaining relevant and needed.
The problem isn’t the unfairness, the problem is that so many of you on the left accept it. You talk a mean game about changing things but when the tough work and tough decisions have to be made the secular progressive politicians swoop in and “take the burden off your shoulders” and the people allow it to happen. This country’s history is riddled with successful black mena nd women….leaders. Why are their stories so differnt? Simple, they took their circumstances into their own hands and took control…not relying on the manipulators to continue their word games.
“The Traveler’s Gift”…..read it. Should be required reading for every student 13 to 16 years old…..twice.
RAMBLE ON!!!
February 23rd, 2011
11:09 am
Could Hewitt Fan really be Paul Hewitt?
I wouldn’t put it pass him. He kind of acts like him. Jealous of Coach K and talking up his NBA thugs he’s brought through GT for one year.
We know he’s not working on a game plan for UV.
Paul in RDU
February 23rd, 2011
11:12 am
Tech Forever
If you add Frederick and Nelson to the 6 early entrants to the NBA from GT (Bosh, Crittenton, Jack, Young, Favors, Lawal) – that gets to 8 players leaving GT under CPH
In the same time period Duke has had
Corey Magette (1 and done), Luol Deng (1), Josh McRoberts (2 and done), William Avery (2), Elton Brand (2), Mike Dunleavey (3), Jason Williams (3), Shavlik Randolph (3), Carlos Boozer (3)
Then there are the transfers.
Andre Sweet, Mike Thompson, Eric Boateng, Jamal Boykin, Taylor King, Olek Czyz, Elliot Williams
Elliot Williams was a McDAA who transferred after his freshman year – he was expected to be a starting guard. Boateng was another McDAA who transferred after his freshman year – he is now in the NBA D-League
There seems to be this impression that Coach K doesn’t lose players early – as the numbers above show, he has lost plenty.
Hewitt is a class act an represents gt well....
February 23rd, 2011
11:12 am
are you kidding me ? really? seriously? the last class act to grace our hardwood floor was bobby IMO.
phew is NO bobby.
as much as most folks love bobby they hate phew. if i had my way i would rename all the toilets at the new arena after phew and his clogged toilet offense. ‘ be right back i have to take a dump on paul’ has a fitting ring to it.
maybe my definition of a class act is different than some folks….
by my definition a class act would have stepped down (like bobby did ) or would have gone to st johns last year instead of continuing to drag the program through the muck like phew is now.
he put us on probation with nothing to show for it. And we have been made to look like a laughing stock on espn on more than one occasion.
after investing almost 30 million on this poor excuse of a coach over 11 years and he has the audacity to say his performance ok?
i call that CLASSLESS.
BartBuzz
February 23rd, 2011
11:14 am
Doug,
When you post an article, it’s like throwing raw meat to the lions…or maybe I should say taking a stick to a Yellow Jackets’ nest. But it is fun to read.
Keep up the good work.
Bruce
February 23rd, 2011
11:14 am
If drad and donors just started betting against gt every week, he would have had enough to pay this leach off. gt favored by 5. take uva and the points. we need to get the announcers to comment on how empty the arena is too.